


Safety First

by imthekingoftheocean (im_the_king_of_the_ocean)



Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Trollhunter!Barbara, but that's not a major part of this, hints of Barbmura, is slowly becoming its own au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-05-18 18:55:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14858370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/imthekingoftheocean
Summary: Barbara juggles the stress of being the Trollhunter and trying to keep her son safe.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Related (sort of) to the other Trollhunter!Barbara ficlet I've written, Traitor.

Barbara, despite her various aches and pains, smiled the moment she entered Blinky’s library.It had been a nearly eternal night (one she’d hardly forget) and it was refreshing to return to the familiar safety of a place she’d spent countless hours learning troll lore.

Though, the moment she sat down in one of Blinky’s reading chairs, she heard the four-armed troll clear his throat.She sighed.She knew she was in trouble.

“Master Barbara, if you would be so kind as to please enlighten me on why you thought it would be an excellent idea to—”

Barbara pinched the bridge of her nose.“Do we have to do this now, Blinkous?”She closed her eyes.Everything still ached, and that included her heart.

“I see you are still not recovered from tonights _*ahem*_ debacle.”Blinky loomed over her.“I will leave the matter alone. _Temporarily_.On the condition that you will not try anything like that again.”

“Changeling.”ARRRGGGHHH!!! added from his position on the other side of the room.Barbara briefly hated him for it.

“Ah yes.And that’s the other thing. Were you going to tell us about your secret courtship with a _changeling_ or just let that one go unsaid?”

Barbara let out a long breath.Without seeing Blinky, she knew he was still looming.“I didn’t know, alright?When I met Nomura, I thought she was a human.When I went tonight, I thought she just wanted to talk.”Because, despite everything, a part of Barbara was still in love with the other woman.“I didn’t know she was a changeling.Or that it was a trap.”She pursed her lips.“But she’s not like the others.She helped me escape.Without her, I’d be dead, Bular would still be alive, and the bridge would be open.”Barbara opened her eyes to glare at Blinky.“So maybe it wasn’t that much of a debacle after all.”

“We will revisit this issue later.”Blinky finally left her alone.

Barbara slumped in her seat.What she would give for a hot shower right now.She needed to get home.She’d been gone long enough as it was. 

Barbara took her phone out of her pocket and sighed in relief that it hadn’t been damaged in earlier’s fight.Then her sigh turned to a groan when she saw all the new texts on her lock screen.She quickly unlocked the device and called the first number on her speed dial.

“Mom? _MOM_!Where are you?Are you ok?Did something happen?I called the hospital and they said you hadn’t made it in to your shift!”

Fuck.Fuck. _Fuuuck._

Her usual lies about extra, unexpected work shifts weren’t going to work.Barbara winced.Her mind scrambled for other excuses.She hated to lying to Jim like this.He’d always been such a good child.He’d never, in his life, lied to her.She shouldn’t, but she _couldn’t._ Jim was her son.It was her job to protect him.She _couldn’t_ drag him into this, this mess that had taken over her life.He deserved to have a normal life or at least one as normal as she could try and give.

_And what happens_ , a voice whispered at the back of Barbara’s mind, _if one night you don’t come back.You promised him.You promised him you’d never leave like his father did.How do you think he’ll feel if you end up dead on the street?When he’s called in to identify your body?_

Barbara silenced that voice to the best of her abilities.She _hadn’t_ died yet.Despite numerous almosts (including tonight).She could do this.She could keep up this charade.At least until Jim left for college.And then.Well, she didn’t know.But she’d figure it out.

Until then, she needed a lie.

“Jim.Jim sweetie, I’m alright.I…I just got lost.Yeah, I took the wrong exit off the highway and then thought I could get back on my own and you will not believe where I—”

“You’re lying.”Jim’s voice was flat.Angry.“Don’t lie to me like this, mom.I was really worried this time.”His voice paused and she knew he was pacing around.“Why can’t you just tell me what’s going on?I’m _sixteen_.I thought you trusted me?You said we’d just have to take care of each other when dad left…” his voice faded.“Please, mom.Tell me what’s going on.”And then so quietly Barbara could barely hear him, “I’m scared.”

For a moment, Barbara did consider telling Jim the truth.About the day her car had broken down right as she was driving over the bridge to work.Seeing something shining in a pile of rubble down in the canals.Going to investigate.Finding the Amulet.That night, when two trolls had come barging into her life while he was over at Toby’s playing video games.Becoming the Trollhunter.

Then she thought of Draal and his original anger at her.Bular and his desire to kill her and feast on her bones.The not-Nomura changelings who would do anything to hurt her.If she dragged Jim into this, how long would it take them to go after him?Right now, they’d kept away from her son arguably because of some weird troll honor against killing innocent whelps (or something, Barbara honestly wasn’t sure why they hadn’t gone after Jim yet but she wasn’t willing to risk anything).But, as soon as Jim entered the troll world, would that end?

Learning to fight had been a struggle.If she could barely hold her own in a true battle, how could she hope to protect her son too?

“Look, kiddo, I’m sorry but that’s the truth.I got lost.I should have called and I didn’t and—”

Jim hung up on her.

Barbara took her phone away from her ear.She stared at her background picture.It was a selfie Jim had taken of them on one of the last happy days they’d gotten before all this.There’d been a county fair and, she forgot why now, but they’d gone to it.They’d had so much fun.For once, the hospital didn’t call and they’d been able to just spend time together, uninterrupted.

Leaning back in her seat, Barbara closed her eyes and sighed again.

_I’m sorry, Jim._


	2. Recipe for Disaster (Part 1 of 2)

“It’s a funny story you were just talking about.”Barbara waited until Jim was in the kitchen before speaking.Internally, she was relieved the divider was closed and the two rooms were separated completely.Walter seemed intent on pretending that this evening was nothing else than a normal dinner, but she still didn’t trust him.“Who was it again you were forced to work with?”She asked him calmly.

Walter sipped his wine.“The superintendent’s son.He’s a bit _bullish_.”He smirked.

“Sounds like a _real_ monster,” Barbara replied flatly.It occurred to her the real question here wasn’t whether or not Walter was going to keep up this facade, but whether or not she herself would. _You come into MY house with MY son,_ a voice whispered at the back of her mind. _Calm down, Barbara_ , she reminded herself. _He hasn’t done anything yet_ (outside of joke about Bular eating someone) _._ But one wrong move and Jim would be dragged into the world she had tried her hardest to keep him out of.

Walter spoke again, “Yes.I know.”

“You know what?”It was in part a genuine question.She’d taken her attention off Walter for a split second.Internally, she cursed herself out for that.

“I know you know.”Walter cut a piece of his steak and, with a flourish, stuck it in his mouth and chewed.

_Really?Just really?Was that flourish really necessary?_ Barbara stopped herself from rolling her eyes.For the sake of keeping up appearances, she asked, “How much do you know?”

“You didn’t know I knew, but now you know I know.”Walter looked up at her with a sly smirk, which would have honestly been just a bit sexy if he wasn’t, you know, on the opposite side of a war and a threat to her son.

Barbara replied, “So I guess we both know.”She tried to spear a pea.Missed.Tried again.It rolled away.She frowned.Well, _that_ happened.

“You know, both our lives would be significantly easier if you just handed over the amulet.”Walter dropped all forms of pretense.“That way, I wouldn’t have to kill you.”

“You would kill me in front of my son?”Barbara’s hand clenched around her dinner knife. 

Walter shrugged.“I will if I have to.”

“I have a counter offer for you.”Barbara snapped, dropping any notions of hiding her anger.“How about you tell me where the bridge is.That way, I’ll even leave your head attached to your body.”

Jim took that of all moments to return.

“Do you guys need anything?The pie’s almost done, so—”

“Maybe a sharper knife, kiddo, for the steak?”Barbara answered quickly.

“Same for me,” Walter added.

Jim walked back into the kitchen.

As soon as he was gone, their chairs were pushed back and they were both up.Barbara held her knife ready.All she needed was a chance to get the amulet out of her pocket and then…well, ok, she’d have to figure out disposing of the body without Jim finding out, but one thing at a time.

“It’s noble.”Walter paced around the table with his knife pointed at her.Barbara paced in the other direction as a response.“How you want to keep Jim out of this.But naive.”

Barbara snorted.“I haven’t been _naive_ for a very long time.”

“Poor, poor Barbara.”Walter chuckled.“So foolish.You can’t even see through your own stupidity.”

“I call it being a kind, considerate person.Not stupidity.But I wouldn’t expect _you_ to get that.”Barbara eyed him.Why hadn’t he attacked already?What was he waiting for?She heard Jim’s footsteps come closer to the kitchen door.Barbara’s eyes widened.She prepared to strike.If Walter thought he was going to—

But Walter was sitting back at the table.Calmly.As if nothing was going on.

“Is there something you need, mom?”Jim was back in the room.Staring at her.It occurred to Barbara she was standing with a knife in her hand.She quickly put it down.

“No, honey, everything’s fine.Just showing Walter this cool knife trick I know.”Barbara smiled at her son. _Please believe it.Please believe it.Please believe it._

Jim just looked at her.“Um, ok.I’ll just be another minute in the kitchen.”He walked back out of the room.

Barbara watched him go, which turned out to be a mistake.The moment Jim was gone and her head was turned, Walter lunged.She barely blocked his attack and avoided being impaled.

Barbara jumped, slid over the table, and landed on her feet.Their wine glasses crashed to the floor, but it sounded like Jim was using the blender or something in the kitchen, so the sound would, thankfully, be muffled.

“Oh, come now, must you make things difficult?”Walter lunged again.

Dodging, Barbara reached in her pocket and retrieved the amulet.“For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command!”She yelled as loudly as she dared.Daylight manifested in a burst of blue flame.

“ _Enough_!”Walter snarled.There was a flash and a much taller, stone creature the color of avocado stood where he had.“So, what do you think?Good look for picture day?”

Barbara thrust forward, Daylight aimed at his chest.Walter dodged.He threw knives yanked from his cape at her.She ducked.The knives went flying out the window.Walter charged at her.Barbara couldn’t get out of the way in time.He forced her to the ground.She Rule 3’d him.While he was down, Barbara managed to get the upper hand.She forced Daylight against his throat.“Not so naive now, am I?”She hissed.

Jim returned from the kitchen.“What the _FUUUUUUCK_!”


	3. Recipe for Disaster (Part 2 of 2)

“So, you’re the—the Trollfighter?”Jim asked.

Barbara put a cup of cocoa in his hands.He was still a bit shaky, but then she had just knocked out his history teacher with the pommel of a giant sword, tied the man up, and shoved him in the closet for safekeeping, so that, she supposed, was to be expected.Hence, why she’d taken a few minutes to make him some hot cocoa (one thing she could actually make that didn’t taste horrible, so long as it was the instant packet kind).

“Trollhunter,” Barbara corrected.“I am the Trollhunter.”Words she’d hoped she’d never have to say to him, but here they were.

“And that’s why you’ve been going to mysterious places that aren’t the hospital?And all the injuries?”Jim went on.He stared into his cocoa.“Why you’ve been lying to me?”He added in a quieter tone.

Barbara wished he’d look at her.She could read his emotions from his expressions easily, but only if she could actually _see_ them.“Yes,” she answered quietly.Though, she had a pretty good idea what he was feeling anyway.

“You should have told me.”Jim’s hands clenched around his mug.Then he shoved it on the table.It slid and spilled a little.“Ever since, ever since _dad_ , you’ve always said we have to tell each other _everything_!”He stood.“And you—you—”He looked at her then.Betrayal written across his face.“You LIED!”Jim took a step back.

“I know and I’m sorry.”Barbara hesitantly stepped toward him.“I wanted to protect you.To keep you out of this mess.You’re just a kid.You should be worrying about school, not—”

“Yeah and looked how well that worked out!”Jim interrupted.“My history teacher just tried to _kill_ us!”

Barbara advanced on him again.“Jim. _Please_.This isn’t how I wanted you to find out.I—”

“No, you _never_ wanted me to find out. _You_ were just going to continue lying.”Jim took a step back.Then another.“No. _No,_ fuck this.”He turned and sprinted to their front door.

“JIM!”Barbara went after him.She grabbed his wrist.“Please, _don’t_ —”

Jim jerked out of her grasp.“Don’t _touch_ me!”He yanked the door open.Ran out into the night.

Barbara dropped to her knees.“I’m sorry.So so sorry,” she whispered.


End file.
